LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council helped kick off Domestic Violence Awareness Month on Tuesday evening by presenting a proclamation to representatives of a local organization working to stop the cycle of violence.

Mayor Tim Barnes read the proclamation designating October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month before presenting it to members of the Lake Family Resource Center, including Executive Director Lisa Morrow, Domestic Violence Services Program Coordinator Amber Westphal and Victim Services Program Director Sheri Salituri-Young.

The city’s proclamation explained that in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019, Lake County law enforcement responded to more than 362 incidents of domestic violence.

“In the past 12 months the Victim Witness Division of the District Attorney’s office has served over 311 victims of Domestic Violence, and the District Attorney’s Office has prosecuted 352 felony and misdemeanor acts of domestic violence,” the proclamation explained.

At the same time, Lake Family Resource Center responded to 793 crisis line calls, served victims and additionally sheltered 149 domestic violence victims and their children at its domestic violence shelter for a total of 5,458 bed nights.

The proclamation also noted, “It is crucially important to hold perpetrators responsible for assault and to prevent domestic violence at every opportunity,” and continued by explaining, “family violence is a community problem, stopping the cycle requires not only the strength and courage of survivors, but also the support and involvement of all members of the community.”

Among the many agencies and organizations providing crisis intervention and prevention services to community members and dedicated to ending domestic violence are the District Attorney’s Office, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Lakeport Police Department, Clearlake Police Department and Lake Family Resource Center, the proclamation said.

The proclamation urged the community “to support the efforts of the agencies assisting victims of domestic violence and to increase their involvement in efforts to prevent domestic violence, thereby strengthening our community and creating an environment which honors, nurtures and protects all members of every family.”

Westphal said there are a number of events planned for this month, and added that the city of Lakeport was kicking it off with its proclamation.

The main event planned is the sixth annual “Power of the Purple Walk” beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Lake Family Resource Center headquarters, 5350 Main St., Kelseyville.

Westphal said reducing the stigma associated with domestic violence allows survivors to come forward.

For more information at the Lake Family Resource Center and its services visit https://www.lakefrc.org/.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.